Fruit-bleacher.



, PATENTBD DEC. 4, 1906. S MITH.. PRUI'T'BLEAGHERL APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 2, 1906.

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No" 837,428. PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906. W. SMITH. FRUIT BLEAGHBR.

APPLICATION IVILED JAN. 2, 1906. 2 SHEETB SHEET amvantoz Nu. Nam": rnsns cm, wAsmNamN, D. c.

WILLIAM SMITH, OF SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS.

FRUIT-BLEACHER- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application filed January 2, 1906. Serial No. 294.222.

T 0 It whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spring dale, in the county of l/Vashington and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Bleachers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a fruit-bleacher; and it consists in the novel construction and 2 rangement of its parts, as herein described and claimed.

It consists, substantially and essentially, in an upright frame or casing with movable trays placed therein and of machinery to raise and lower them at will.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like characters throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper part of my invention, the lower part thereof being broken away for lack of room. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the lower part of my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective of my base-frame and elevating-frame. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a construction of sliding boards which fit over the ends of the cross-beams of the elevatingframe. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a construc tion of bolt provided with the usual nut, used in connection with my invention.

My invention is described as follows:

The numeral 1 represents the base-frame, which consists of longitudinal beams 2 and cross-beams 3. Said frame is mounted on a suitable foundation 4, of brick, stone, or other desirable material, in which sulfur is burned, the sulfur being admitted thereto by a door 5. An upright casing or frame 6, provided with a smoke-stack 7, is mounted on said base -frame 1. The said longitudinal beams 2 of said frame 1 have secured thereto in any desired way dog-blocks 8, each having hinged thereto, by means of cuffs 9, a dog member, consisting of a rod so bent as to form a lower horizontal part 10 and two vertical arms 11, the extreme outer ends of which are drawn out to wedge-shaped points 12, which form obtuse angles with said arms and are parallel with each other. Each of said dog-blocks is provided with a spring 13, the upper ends of which bear against the vertical arms 11, the purpose of which willbe hereinafter shown.

The numeral 14 represents the elevatingframe, which consists of longitudinal beams 1 5, each provided in its upper outer edge with recesses 16, and of cross-beams 17. Said frame is suspended from a bent rod 18, rigidly hinged at its central horizontal part to one of the walls of said upright casing 6 by two curved plates 19, secured to the extreme upper ends of vertical beams 19 by four rods or wires 20, which are preferably formed with loops or eyes at their upper ends and screwnuts at their lower ends which are passed through perforations in the protruding ends of the cross beams 17 of said elevatingframe. Said rod 18 is bent at its outer ends at right angles, forming an arm 21 and some- *what longer arm 22, which run in transverse alinement, the said longer arm 22 being provided with a grooved wheel 23. The upper eyed ends of said rods or wires 20 are secured to said arms. When said elevating-frame is placed within the said upright caslng 6, the ends of the cross-beams 17 thereof protrude somewhat beyond the outer faces of walls 23 of said casing. This is accomplished by providing vertical elongated slots 24 (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1) in the walls 23. The protruding ends are then fitted each with a rectangular oblong board or plate 25, in which is provided a transverse perforation 26 to correspond with said ends. The function of the vertical slots 24 is to serve as guides for the ends of the beams 17 of the elevatingframe and prevent lateral movement of said frame when ascending or descending. The boards or plates 24 slide up and down with the frame and keep the slots 24 covered up, preventing any of the sulfur smoke generated below from escaping therethrough.

A series of trays 27, each provided with recesses in the upper outer edges of the longitudinal beams thereof, are slidably mounted on a chute 29, of any length or suitable con struction, by means of which chute the trays may be conducted on the elevating-frame 14, located in the casing 6. When the said elevating-frame is in its normal position, it rests on the upper face of the base-frame 1. The lower tray rests on the elevating-frame 14, and the wedge-shaped points 12 of the dog members 11 rest in said recesses 28 of said trays. When the elevating power is caused to act, the lower tray pressing against the points 12 of said dog members 11 presses same outwardly until the tray is allowed to pass beyond said points. The springs 13 then force said points inwardly under the lower edges of said tray, and the dog members support said tray and those mounted thereon until another tray is conducted in the casing on the elevating-frame 14. A cylinder 30, provided with a spiral groove, is. made rigid with a Windlass-rod 31 by providing said cylinder and Windlass-rod with perforations and employing a bolt 32 of the character shown in Fig. 4, provided with the usual nut 33, the bolt being passed through said perforations. Said windlassrod is also provided with a crank 34 and is supported by braces 35 and 35, said brace 35 being secured at its upper end to the outer face of one of the dog-blocks 8 and brace 35 at its upper end to the front wall 23 of said casing 6.

A hoisting member 36 is suspended at one end from a longitudinal supporting-beam 37, secured to the front Wall 23 of said casing 6 by means of a rod 38, the lower curved end of which is passed through a perforation in the rear end of a curved bar 40, secured to 'the under rear curved end of said hoisting member. The opposite end of said member is secured, by means of a transverse rod 40, between the upper ends of parallel beams 41, which are securedat their lower ends to the upper end of a beam 42, the lower end of which works between and is guided by two longitudinal parallel beams 44, secured to the front outer ends of transverse beams 44, secured to the walls 45 of said casing 6. Said beams 44 are also provided with a central transverse rod 46, which supports said beam 42 at its lower end. Said hoisting member 36 is provided at its last-mentioned end with an outwardly-extending screw 46, to which is secured the upper end of a rope 47, which rope passes rearwardly in contact with the under face of said member 36 through the eye of a guide-screw 47, screwed in the under face of said member, and thence downwardly over a pulley-wheel 48, rigidly connected to an axle 49, journaled in vertical beams 50, secured to the outer face of the rear wall 45 of said upright casing 6, and is secured at its lower knotted end to the upper necked part of said bolt 32. When said hoisting member is in its normal position, the said grooved wheel 23 rests in a short concave depression 36, formed in the rear end of said member, and when said member is put in motion by turning the crank 34 the said grooved wheel 23 rides along the upper edge of same, passing over the central flat portion 36 to the curved part 36 near the front end of said member. It has been found by experience that the use of such a shaped member in connection with my construction and arrangement of power elevating means lessens the work of putting the elevating means in operation and elevating the trays. The said crank 34 is fitted loosely on the windlass-rod 31, so as not to revolve when the rope is being unwound from the cylinder 30 in forcing the hoisting member 36 back to its lowest position, and the danger of being hurt by the crank is obviated, and the rope 47 more easily unwinds from said cylinder. When the crank 34 is turned, the rope 47 is wound in the spiral groove of said cylinder 30, drawing said hoisting member 36 forward under the grooved wheel 23 and raising the arms 51 of said bent rod 18, thereby causing the elevating-frame 14, which is suspended from the said rod by wires or rods 20, to ascend and carry with it the trays 27, mounted thereon. During. this operation the opposite or front end of the hoisting member is ascending and forces the beam 42 downwardly between said guide-beams 44.

The discharging apparatus 53, located at the top of the casing 6, is operated-by a lever 52, fulcrumed at its front end to the front wall 23 of said casing 6. This apparatus acts as follows: A rope 54 is secured at its lower end near the rear end of said lever 52 and is wound around a roller 55, rigidly connected to an axle 56, journaled in longitudinal beams 57- of a longitudinal discharging support 58, secured to the rear upper end of said casing 6, several times at its upper end. A weight 58 is suspended from said roller by means of a rope 58 When said lever is pressed downwardly, the rope 54 unwinds from and puts said roller 55 in rotation, winding up the weight 58 and driving a discharging-beam 59, working longitudinally in said discharging-support 58 and having secured to its rear end the upper end of a rope 60, which is wound upon said roller at its opposite end forwardly, the front end of said discharging member coming in contact with the tray to be discharged and discharging same on a track 61 of any construction which may extend into a field. A wire or rod 51 is secured at its upper end to the arm 22 of said rod 18, the extreme lower end of said wire being bent inwardly at right angles, forming an inwardly-extending projection 51 When the hoisting member 36 is at its highest limit, said projection comes in contact with the lower edge of said lever 52. When the lever is pressed downwardly and a tray is discharged, the hoisting member is brought back to its normal position and the elevating-frame 14 descends for a new tray by said rod 51, which is carried downwardly with the lever, the wheel 23 being carried with it.

Secured to said wall 45 of said upright casing 6, near its lower end, is a cross-beam 62, and secured to the outer face of said crossbeam is a guide-beam 63, provided with a central vertical recess in its inner edge. A door-shutter provided with a pin 65 is secured to the lower end of a sliding bar 66, which works in the vertical recess of said guide-beam 63 and between two guide-blocks 67, which are secured to the outer face of said beam 44. When said door is in its normal position, it rests on the trackway 29.

To operate my fruit-bleacher, I first raise the door-shutter 64 by said pin 65. I then run a tray along the trackway 29into the elevating-frame 14, and close down said doorshutter. I next move crank 34 behind a catch 68, provided at the extreme outer end of the crank or Windlass-rod 31, where the crank 34 is situated, and turn said crank, during which operation the said rope 47 winds in the spiral groove of said cylinder and draws said. hoisting member 36 forwardly under said grooved wheel 23, which raises said arms 51 of said bent rod 18 and causes the elevating-frame 14, which is sus pended from said rod by four wires or rods 20, to ascend and carry with it the trays 27, mounted thereon. WVhen said hoisting member has ascended to its highest limit,the said crank is thrown off of the said catch 68. I then press the lever 52 downwardly, which action puts the roller 55 in rotation and drives the discharging-rod 59 forward and discharges the tray, ready for discharging in the manner above described. The lever is then released, and the weight 58 descends and puts the said roller 55 in reverse rotation, which puts the lever and driving or discharging board in their normal positions. The machine is then ready for another tray.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fruitbleacher, the combination of a base-frame 1, consisting of longitudinal beams 2, and cross-beams 3, adapted to be mounted on a foundation 4, provided with a door 5; an upright casing 6, provided with a smoke-stack 7, mounted on said base-frame; dog members, each consisting of a rod bent to form a lower horizontal part 10, and two vertical arms 11, terminating at their inner upper ends in wedge-shaped points 12, secured to dog-blocks 8, secured to longitudinal beams 2, of said base-frame 1, and each provided with a spring 13; elevating-frame 14, consisting of longitudinal beams 15, each provided in its upper outer edge with re cesses 16, and of cross-beams 17 bent rod 18, hinged at its central part to one of the walls of said casing 6 by two plates 19, secured to the upper ends of vertical beams 19, and provided with two forwardly-extending arms 51, one terminating in an arm 21, and the other an arm 22, which run in transverse alinement; grooved wheel 22, journaled 011 said arm 23; wires 20, secured at their upper ends to said arms, and at their lower ends to said frame 14; plates 25, each provided with a transverse perforation, fitted to the ends of the cross-beams 17, of said frame 14; trays 27. having recesses 28, in the upper outer edges of the longitudinal beams thereof; chute 29; cylinder 30, provided with spiral groove; windlass-rod 31, provided with crank 34, catch 69, and supported by braces and 35, secured at their upper ends, respectively,

to one of said dog-blocks 8, and front wall 2 of said casing 6, said cylinder being rigidly connected to said Windlass-rod 31 by a necked bolt 32, provided with a nut 33; hoisting member 36, swung at its rear end from a longitudinal supporting-beam 37, secured to front wall 23, of said casing 6, by means of a rod 38, secured at its lower end. to a curved bar 40, secured to under rear edge of said member 36, the opposite end of said member secured between the upper ends of parallel beams 41, secured to the upper end of a beam 42, which oscillates on a central transverse rod. 46, secured to parallel beams 44, secured to transverse beams 44, secured to walls 45 of said casing 6, the upper edge of said member provided with a short depression 36, central flat portion 36 and front curved part 36-"; pulley-wheel 48, rigidly connected to an axle 49, j ournaled near the rear wall 45 of said casing; rope 47, secured at its upper end to front end. of said hoisting memer, passing rearwardly over said pulleywheel 48, and thence downwardly and secured at its lower end to said cylinder 30; lever 52, fulcrumed to the front wall 23 of said casing; longitudinal beams 57, secured near upper part of said casing; roller 55, rigidly connected to an axle 56, journalcd in said beams 57 discharging-beam 59, working in a charging-support 58, secured near upper end of said casing; rope 60, secured to the rear end. of said discharging-board at one end, and to said roller at other end; weight 58, suspended from said roller 55 by a rope 58 cross-beam 62, secured near the lower end of said casing; beam 63, provided with a central vertical recess, secured to said lastmen tioned beam; door 64, provided with a pin 65, secured to the lower end of a sliding board 66, adapted to work in the vertical recess in said guide-beam 63, and between two guide-blocks 47, secured to one of said beams 44, the elevating-frame being adapted to be elevated by turning the crank 34, the top tray in the casing being discharged by pressing the lever 52 downwardly, substantially as shoylvn and described and for the purposes set fort 1.

2. In a fruit-bleacher, the combination of a base-frame 1, adapted to be mounted on a suitable foundation 4; upright casing 6, mounted on said frame; dog members, each consisting of a rod bent to form a lower horizontal part 10 and two vertical arms 11, terminating at their upper inner ends in wedgeshaped points 12, secured to dog-blocks 8, secured to said frame, and each provided with a spring 13; elevating-frame 14, consisting of longitudinal beams 15, each having cut in its upper outer edge recesses'16, and. of cross-beams 17; bent rod 18, hinged to one of the walls of said casing 6, and provided with parallel forwardly extending arms 51, terminating at their ends in arms 21 I and 22, said frame 14 being swung from said naled near one of the walls of said casing; rod by wires 20; grooved wheel 23, journaled rope 47, secured at its upper end to the front on said arm 22 trays 27, having recesses 28 end of said hoisting member 36, passing rearin the upper outer edges of their longitudinal wardly over said pulley-wheel 48, and se- 5 beams; chute 29; cylinder 30, rigidly concured at its lower end to said cylinder 80,

nected to a cylinder-rod 31, provided with a with means for conducting the trays into the crank 34 and catch 68, and supported by easing 6 at its lower end onto the elevatingbraces 35 and 35; hoisting member 36, frame 14, and for discharging same near top swung at one end from a longitudinal" sup-' of said casing on a track 61, of any desired I porting-beam 37, secured to one of the walls construction, substantially as shown.

and near thetop of said casing by-any suitv In testimony whereof affiX my signature able means, the opposite end of said hoisting in presence of two subscrlbing witnesses. member secured between parallel beams 41 secured to a beam 42, working at its lower WILLIAM SMITH r 5 ends between beams 44, secured to trans Witnesses:

verse beams 44, secured to said casing; pul- JAMES WELTON, I

ley-wheel 48, connected to an axle 49, ourl J. V. LEYDIG. 

